Manchester City and the Yankees team up to form the New York Football Club

After three years of discussions and negotiations, Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber announced on Tuesday that English Premier League powerhouse Manchester City FC and Major League Baseball’s legendary New York Yankees have teamed up to acquire MLS’s 20th expansion club.

The new team will be named New York City Football Club (NYCFC) and is expected to begin play in 2015.

I’m no futbol expert but Manchester City isn’t the team that wins all the time, right? That would be Manchester United.

Manchester City’s CEO Ferran Soriano is excited to partner with the New York Yankees:

“New York is a legendary sports town, as well as a thriving global city with a rapidly expanding soccer fan-base,” said Soriano. “We are thrilled to contribute to the energy and growth of New York City Soccer. In the Yankees, we have found the absolute best partner for developing a world-class sports organization and a winning team that will carry the New York City Football Club name with pride.”

Hal Steinbrenner, the managing general partner of the New York Yankees, also issued a statement:

“We are pleased to be associated with this major move by MLS to increase its presence in the New York market and to enhance the opportunity for New York soccer fans to enjoy high-level play in their own city.” Steinbrenner added, “We look forward to the opportunity to work with Manchester City to create something very special for the soccer fans of New York — and to bringing another terrific team to this city for all sports fans to enjoy.”

And finally, Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber issued a statement about the new team:

“We proudly welcome two of the most prestigious professional global sports organizations to Major League Soccer…This is a transformational development that will elevate the league to new heights in this country. The New York area is home to more than 19 million people, and we look forward to an intense crosstown rivalry between New York City Football Club and the New York Red Bulls that will captivate this great city.”

Ooh, so it would be like an MLS version of the heated Mets/Yankees rivalry? How exciting! (Yes, that was sarcasm. There is no rivalry between the Mets and the Yankees no matter how many times it is forced upon us.)

Of course, there are logistics to be sorted out like where this new soccer team is going to play. There have been ongoing talks about possibly building a stadium in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens but the club is also looking at other possible locations throughout the city.

MLS was founded in 1993, as part of the U.S.’s bid to win the 1994 World Cup and its first season was played in 1996. It is made up of 19 teams, three in Canada and 16 in the United States.

Stacey is co-Editor-in-Chief of It's About The Money, co-host of the It's About The Money, Stupid podcast and is a monthly contributor to ESPN's SweetSpot Blog. She is a former contributor at Aerys Sports and High Heat Stats. She has contributed to group projects at Baseball: Past And Present and the Hall of Stats. Her work has appeared in USA Today's Sports Weekly and most recently, she wrote four pieces for Derek Jeter: Celebrating the Yankees' Captain Clutch, a magazine printed by i5 Publishing.